The present invention relates generally to apparatus and methods associated with the handling and utilization of insulators for dynamoelectric machines that are known in the art as between winding phase insulators or, simply, "phase insulation" for dynamoelectric machines.
The above referenced Burns application, Ser. No. 008,603, shows and describes, among other things, apparatus and methods that are useful in connection with the manufacture of phase insulation or phase insulators. That application also describes in detail where, when, and how phase insulators are used in practice.
The above referenced Miller et al. application (Ser. No. 918,055) describes and shows, among other things, methods and apparatus having particular utility in connection with placing phase insulators on stator assemblies so that winding end turn insulating pieces are disposed adjacent to end turns of motor windings, and so that one or more connectors which interconnect the end turn insulators are disposed within axially extending slots of the stator core.
The above referenced Urick et al. application (Ser. No. 027,370) shows and describes, among other things, apparatus and methods whereby phase insulators may be automatically placed (i.e., machine placed) on stator assemblies.
The above referenced Burns et al. application (Ser. No. 051,029) describes and illustrates, inter alia, methods and apparatus for fabricating phase insulators which may be used to form a continuous chain of phase insulators. In general, McNeal U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,005 of July 11, 1978 (assigned to the assignee of this application); and Droll United Kingdom Pat. No. 1,461,126 of Jan. 13, 1977, also describe methods and apparatus whereby a continuous chain of phase insulators may be produced. In order to reduce the amount of text herein, the entire disclosures of the just mentioned McNeal and Droll Patents are specifically incorporated herein by reference.
The above identified copending applications are indicative, among other things, of work that is being done in the art, generally contemporaneously herewith, to permit the automatic placement or insertion of phase insulation in dynamoelectric machines.
However, the work and efforts of others as it is represented by the hereinabove referenced copending applications and issued patents has not addressed the problems associated with automatically feeding, handling, and loading individual phase insulators into tools or other devices that are utilized in conjunction with actually placing such phase insulators on stator cores. Moreoever, the prior work by others has not identified what problems would exist in connection with the mechanized handling, and mechanized placing of phase insulators on stator cores.
Accordingly, it will be understood that it would be desirable to devise methods for automatically handling phase insulators, and transferring phase insulators from a phase insulator supply to a stator core. Moreover, it would be desirable to identify problems associated with such handling and transferring, and to devise solutions for such problems; and to devise actual means for handling and transferring phase insulators.
Thus, it is a general object of the present invention to devise methods for handling and transferring phase insulators from a phase insulator supply to a means for placing phase insulators on a stator.
Another general object of the present invention is to provide apparatus having particular utility as a means for automatically handling phase insulators, and for placing such insulators on stators.
A more specific object of the present invention is to provide methods for feeding a plurality of insulators connected together in chain-like form to a work station or stations, separating individual insulators from the insulator chain, loading such insulators onto a transfer device, and thereafter transferring such insulators to a core.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide methods of confining phase insulators closely adjacent to a transfer device; whether such insulators have been loaded onto such device from an insulator chain or have been loaded from a supply of individual and discrete phase insulators.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide methods of transferring insulators from an insulator holding device to a stator.
Still other objects of the present invention are to provide apparatus, mechanisms, and means, whereby each of the above stated, as well as other, method objects may be carried out.